KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia – Shaun White will have a chance to win a third consecutive gold, but he'll have to contend with his U.S. teammates in the Olympic halfpipe final.

Three Americans made it to the final at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on Tuesday. Danny Davis also advanced from the qualification round, while Greg Bretz, a 2010 Olympian, finished second in the semifinal to move on.

Taylor Gold, meanwhile, did not advance in his first Olympics. The 20-year-old Coloradan landed low in the transition and lost control in his first run. In his second run, Gold was in position to get a good score before he butt checked his landing on the final hit. His score of 60.75 left him in eighth, two spots outside the riders who advanced.

Six riders moved directly to the final after finishing in the top three of their heats in qualification. White and Davis were joined by Japan's Ayumu Hirano and Taku Hiraoko and Switzerland's Christian Haller and David Habluetzel.

White had the top score in his heat and top score overall (95.75), while Davis (92.00) finished third in the same heat.

Swiss rider Iouri Podladtchikov, considered a challenger to White for gold, also advanced from the semifinal.

White is trying to become the first American male to win the same event in three consecutive Winter Olympics. He came to the Games prepared to compete in two events, but he pulled out of the slopestyle competition on Wednesday less than 24 hours before it was set to begin.

Without its biggest star in the event, the USA still claimed climbed to the top of the podium as 20-year-old Sage Kotsenburg claimed the first gold medal of the Games.

Four days into the Olympics, the U.S. ranks fourth in the medal count with six total. Norway leads the way with 10.

With three riders in the finals, the U.S. keeps its chances alive of a podium sweep. Since the sport was added to the Olympics in 1998, only one country has won all three medals – the U.S. in 2002 in Salt Lake City.

Switzerland can also sweep the podium with three riders in the final.

The riders competed Tuesday after concerns about the pipe that persisted since they started training on Saturday. On Monday night, several voice concerns about safety and the bumpiness in the flat bottom of the pipe.

"There's not a whole lot of control in there, it's kind of just hanging on for dear life," said Gold, whose second run scored 87.50 to place him fifth in the second heat. "I kinda just tried to stay low and be powerful.

"Not practicing your tricks at all and coming into an event it pretty precarious on its own, let alone in a bumpy pipe. I'm getting my legs under me with every run."

The pipe seemed to ride better during the second heat after several riders fell from the first heat.

"It's gonna be tricky, but it's going to really show the good actual snowboarder," said Great Britain's Dominic Harington, who did not advance out of the first qualification heat.

"If you're good at snowboarding, you should be able to get on your back foot and you should prepare for the bumps so you should know how to deal with it. It didn't work out for me, but that's how it goes."

Shaun White celebrates with runner up Peetu Piiroinen of Finland, left and third placed Scott Lago of the USA at the flower ceremony after the men's snowboard halfpipe competition at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
Gerry Broome AP

Shaun White of the USA celebrates as he takes the podium after winning the FIS Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup at the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix at Park City Mountain on Feb. 1, 2013 in Park City, Utah.
Doug Pensinger Getty Images